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With the unprecedented federal government standoff stretches toward day 38, US airspace is about to get less congested. This doesn't apply for US air travel hubs.

Safety Measures Implemented

The current administration's aviation regulatory body has said flight numbers are being lowered to ensure air traffic control security during the federal government funding lapse, setting a new duration record and with no sign of a resolution between conservative legislators and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget deadlock.

Flight oversight bodies pinpointed “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, a step requiring airlines to scrub numerous flights and cause a series of scheduling issues and hold-ups at key American travel hubs.

Administration Remarks

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, stated on X Thursday that the action was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “involving evaluation the data and mitigating accumulating danger in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”.

“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” he stated.

Flight Cancellations

Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The flight decreases may constitute as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats collectively, according to an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The involved terminals spanning more than two dozen states include the most trafficked across the US – including Atlanta, CLT, Colorado's hub, DFW, MCO, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities – including NYC, Texas city and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be involved.

The trio of airports operating in the nation's capital region – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and DCA – will be impacted, inevitably causing schedule changes for lawmakers as well as additional passengers.

Related Updates

• Below is the list of US airports decreasing flights on Friday because of federal government funding lapse.
• An ex-DOJ worker who tossed food at a federal officer during Donald Trump’s law enforcement presence in Washington DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rejection of the federal involvement.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers viewed Tuesday’s major voting successes as proof they should maintain their position and extract as much as possible from Republicans before consenting to conclude the longest government shutdown in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “finest presiding officer in American history”, following her statement that after 20 terms in Congress she intends to step down.
• The conservative leader, the chief of the conservative thinktank behind Project 2025, expressed regret for endorsing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to step down.